Archive for the 'Toni Lydman' Tag Under 'Ducks' Category

While there may be some traction on center Saku Koivu and the usual status quo on an indecisive Teemu Selanne, the Ducks may be prepared to move on without their other top potential unrestricted free agents.

The Ducks aren't getting anywhere in talks with defenseman Ben Lovejoy on a possible contract extension and it appears they will let center David Steckel test free agency.

Negotiations between the club and Lovejoy have hit a significant snag with Ducks GM Bob Murray telling the Register that “we’re a long, long way apart.” Acquired for a depth upgrade in early February, Lovejoy played his way into a top-four role by the postseason.

Lovejoy, 29, had 10 assists and a plus-6 rating in 32 games with the Ducks after they picked him up from Pittsburgh for a 2014 fifth-round pick.

Lovejoy has been operating on two-way contracts over his four-plus NHL seasons and could be looking to turn his strong work with the Ducks into a one-way deal with a salary bump well up from his lockout pro-rated league minimum of $525,000.

ANAHEIM -- Toni Lydman is showing some improvement following a hit by Detroit's Justin Abdelkader in Game 3 but the Ducks defenseman's status for the remainder of the first-round playoff series remains extremely doubtful.

Lydman has been suffering from migraines and neck stiffness after drilled by Abdelkader during the second period, a hit that got Abdelkader suspended for the next two games. The winger is sitting again for Game 5 tonight and will return for Game 6 on Friday in Detroit.

Meanwhile, Lydman hasn't skated since.

"He’s still got headaches and wasn’t on the ice today," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. "Talking to him this morning, he says he’s feeling a lot better and they’re nowhere near as intense as they were.

"As to where he is compared to when he’s going to play, I couldn’t give you an answer to that."

DETROIT -- Suspended Detroit winger Justin Abdelkader expressed sympathy for the Ducks' Toni Lydman on Monday after his Game 3 hit on the defenseman earned him supplementary discipline from the NHL.

Abdelkader received a two-game suspension on Sunday and will sit Game 4 tonight at Joe Louis Arena and Game 5 on Wednesday in Anaheim.

"I'm sorry," Abdelkader said, addressing reporters following the Red Wings' morning skate. "There was no intent to injure. I don’t mean to injure anyone or put anyone at harm.

"I have respect for every one of the players in this hockey league. It’s a privilege that we get to play in the NHL."

It is the first time Abdelkader has been disciplined by the league. The winger scored the first goal in the Wings' 5-4 overtime win in Game 2 and was playing on the top line with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg.

DETROIT -- Detroit winger Justin Abdelkader will have a telephone hearing with the NHL on Sunday to determine if supplementary discipline is warranted for his questionable hit on Ducks defenseman Toni Lydman in Game 3 of their Western Conference playoff series.

Abdelkader's hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety is scheduled for 1 p.m. PT. The Red Wings forward has never been suspended in his six-year NHL career.

Abdelkader was assessed a five-minute major penalty for charging and a game misconduct as a result of a hit to Lydman in the offensive zone. Replays appeared to show the winger's shoulder making initial contact with Lydman's head.

ANAHEIM -- Toni Lydman was rested in the Ducks' 3-1 victory over Minnesota on Friday night and he might not be the only veteran defenseman that will get a game off here and there in this congested 48-game schedule this season.

With young Sami Vatanen in the fold as of now, Coach Bruce Boudreau has him available to give others a rest and keep Lydman and others like Sheldon Souray fresher for a potential stretch run.

"Sheldon's going to need a rest every now and again," Boudreau said. "He's no spring chicken. And it's really good when you have a good, young player that can step in and do the job."

Vatanen played nearly 14 minutes in his NHL debut against the Wild. He also saw some time with the No. 1 power play unit.

"He’s going to be a good player but he’s going to give a coach nightmares because he's risk taker," Boudreau said. "He's going to have to find out what he can do and what he can’t do. What he can get away with and what he can’t get away with.

Even after a months-old lockout that kept NHL hockey away from fans until now, there are some silver linings about the work stoppage if you look deep enough.

Ducks defenseman Toni Lydman basically played hurt throughout the 2011-12 season. Major shoulder surgery made for a slower recovery than expected and knee pain late in the year eventually resulted in an April scope to repair torn cartilage.

It wasn't the only reason why the 35-year-old Lydman struggled, eventually falling to the third pairing as he slumped from a plus-32 rating in 2010-11 to even last season. But it'll be nice for the 11-year veteran to actually be healthy for the first time in two years.

"Shoulder's good now," Lydman said. "Last year wasn't ideal in any way. I got the knee fixed and got the shoulder stronger. This was a summer where I really tried to get my strength back in the shoulder and upper body. I got a little extra time to work on that."

More time than he could imagine, it seems. Most believed that a lockout was certain but that owners and players would hash out their differences and get the NHL back to action by Thanksgiving on the early end and Jan. 1 at the latest.

Is he the steady player that took on a leading role for a Ducks defense corps in tatters and delivered a career year in 2010-11 with a plus-32 rating for a playoff team? Or is he the banged-up veteran who wasn't nearly as effective the following season and showed that he might be on the downside of a nice career.

The Ducks certainly hope it is closer to the former than the latter. The reality is Lydman is somewhere between those two opposites.

With Scott Niedermayer retiring for good in June of 2010, the Ducks were in real need of a veteran presence for a patchwork blue line that was suddenly lacking a leader. Cam Fowler was just drafted, Luca Sbisa had only 37 games of NHL experience and the club had no other real prospects ready for duty.

Lydman was signed to a three-year deal as a free agent to help serve as a bridge while the youngsters learned on the fly and the Ducks started to re-stock their system. This bridge cost $9 million but it has been a decent investment to this point.

Ducks defenseman Toni Lydman had successful surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee, a team spokesman said Monday.

Lydman, 34, played hurt for much of the season as he not only tore his meniscus but also missed several games toward the end because of a neck injury. The 11-year veteran, who had shoulder surgery last summer, finished without a goal for the first time in his NHL career and had just 13 assists in 74 games.

Team physician Dr. Orr Limpisvasti performed the surgery on Monday. Recovery time is expected to be approximately four weeks and Lydman should be ready for training camp in September.

Defenseman Francois Beauchemin is expected to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder this week, with Dr. Ronald Glousman performing the procedure. Beauchemin said last week that he expects it won't be as severe as the one Lydman had which kept him out of camp last fall.

ANAHEIM -- Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin revealed Monday that he will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder that he played with this season.

Beauchemin played in all 82 games, tying a career high with eight goals while also chipping in 14 assists. He was a minus-14 for the season but is a key part of their future after signing a three-year, $10.5-million million extension in January.

"It's been bothering me for a few weeks," Beauchemin said, as the players cleaned out their lockers at Honda Center. "A few months actually. Mostly the last few weeks. I'll take care of it now and then I've got all summer to get it better, rehab it and everything."

Beauchemin said he first hurt his shoulder earlier in the season but that it got progressively worse as the year went on.

"I wasn't really looking for the hits," he said. "I was playing more physical at the beginning of the year but then by the end, I was more trying to protect it."